Air India(AI) air cargo tracking

How to read an Air India(AI) air waybill number

098-53585243 example only — not a real shipment

Air waybill numbers are 11 digits, usually printed like 098-53585243. The first three digits are the IATA airline prefix — 098 is Air India(AI)’s — and the remaining eight are the serial, where the last digit is a check digit (the first seven digits modulo 7).

One AWB covers the whole consignment (there is no per-piece number), and unlike container numbers, AWB serials are recycled by airlines after roughly a year — so a very old number can show someone else’s shipment.

If your Air India(AI) tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   An air waybill is 11 digits — a 3-digit airline prefix and an 8-digit serial, e.g. 098-53585243. Enter it with or without the dash, but don’t drop leading zeros from the serial.

2. 2 Make sure the number was issued by this carrier

   If your serial doesn’t start with 098, the AWB was issued by a different airline or a freight forwarder (a “house” AWB). Track house AWBs with the forwarder; the airline only sees its own “master” AWB.

3. 3 Too early or too late

   Timing matters: a number that was only just issued may not show results yet, and carriers remove old shipments from public tracking a few weeks after delivery. If the shipment is very new or long delivered, an empty result doesn’t mean the number is wrong.

4. 4 Paste carefully on Air India(AI)’s page

   Air India(AI) asks you to type the number on its own page, so paste it exactly — no spaces before or after, and no extra characters picked up from an email. If the page shows a security check, complete it and search again.

5. 5 Still nothing?

   Contact whoever sold you the freight service (your forwarder, broker, or Air India(AI) directly) with the air waybill number and the booking reference — they can see internal status that public tracking doesn’t show.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track an Air India(AI) air waybill?

Type your air waybill number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on Air India(AI)’s own tracking page — paste your number there and search. Air India(AI) air waybill numbers usually begin with 098.

What does an Air India(AI) air waybill number look like?

Air waybill (AWB) numbers have 11 digits: a 3-digit airline prefix and an 8-digit serial, usually written like 176-12345678. The prefix identifies the airline. For Air India(AI) the AWB prefix is 098. A format-valid example is 098-53585243.

Why does the Air India(AI) page open without my number filled in?

Air India(AI) asks everyone to enter the number on its own page (it has a security check), so it can’t be filled in ahead of time. We bring you to the right page — just paste your number there.

What if my number doesn’t start with 098?

Then it probably wasn’t issued by Air India(AI) — shipments booked through a freight forwarder or partner carrier often travel under another company’s air waybill number. Paste the number on our homepage and we’ll suggest the right airline, or check your shipping paperwork for who issued it.

Is this Air India(AI)’s official tracking site?

No — this is a free, independent tool that brings every carrier’s tracking together in one place. When you track here you end up on Air India(AI)’s own page, so everything you see comes straight from Air India(AI). We never see or store your shipment details.